ArticleBMC pediatrics2025
Patterns and temporal trends in childhood cancer incidence in northern Ghana: evidence from medical records, 2016 to 2023.
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Abstract
backgroundChildhood cancers contribute significantly to child morbidity and mortality worldwide, with an even greater burden in resource-limited settings. However, there is limited research documenting the incidence and patterns of childhood cancers in Ghana.
aimWe aimed to examine the trends and patterns of childhood cancers in Northern Ghana over an eight-year period.
methodsWe conducted a retrospective descriptive analysis of medical records from the pediatric oncology unit at Tamale Teaching Hospital in Northern Ghana. The study included children diagnosed with cancer and admitted to the oncology unit between January 2016 and December 2023. We classified cancers based on the International Classification of Childhood Cancer and quantified the number of cases of each type, both overall and stratified by time and child characteristics. SAS JMP Professional Software (version 17.1) was used to analyze the data.
resultsA total of 216 child medical records were analyzed. Most (62.5%) children were male, with 48.1% aged 0 to 3 years. The number of children admitted with cancer increased progressively over time, from 15 cases in 2016/2017 to 82 in 2022/2023. Males and those 0 to 7 years were more likely to be admitted with cancer. Ten cancer types were identified, with retinoblastoma being the most commonly diagnosed cancer (30.1%), followed by lymphomas (23.1%) and renal tumors (15.7%). Of the 184 children with admission outcome data, 56.5% (n = 104) died. Cancer-related deaths were highest among those diagnosed with lymphomas and reticuloendothelial neoplasms (31 out of 104 cases; 29.8%) and retinoblastoma (30 out of 104 cases; 28.8%), as well as those aged 0-3 years (47 out of 104 cases; 45.2%) and among males (70 out of 104 cases; 67.3%). Overall, cancer deaths declined steadily from 71.4% in 2016/2017 to 44.4% in 2022/2023.
conclusionOur findings indicate a high burden of childhood cancers in Northern Ghana, with a greater proportion of cases occurring among male children. The observed increase in the number of childhood cancer admissions to the oncology unit may reflect improved case detection, greater awareness among caregivers, and increased referrals to specialized care, rather than a definitive rise in cancer incidence. These findings highlight the urgent need for population-based cancer registries and further research to accurately track and understand childhood cancer trends in the region.
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